The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-10-22

A long face. poor mouth and suit
of respectfully shabby clothes. with
voice trained down to an empty stom-
ach whihe are about all the capital re-
quired-plus unlimited gall--by the
modern street brigand. the pawn
ticket fakir. He is generally in part
nership with pawnbrokers Of shady
neutrality-suspicious. who are not
exactly receivers Of stolen goods,
but whose keen mercantile instinct
leads them to advance trifling sum Of
money on valuable jewel handed over
the counter by tramp. They are all
honorable men. of course. because they
are seldom found out But the ticket
fakir has little to do with valuable
jewels or property unless his fingers
happen to stray against them acci-
dentally. While this is true a. gen.
eral thing, there are exceptions. The
fakir who does the broken-down sport
act very often carries pawn tickets rep
rcsenting his equity in alleged dia-
monds and other valuables supposed
to have been hypothecated during one
of those periods when the silver lining
was turned the wrong side up. Itmay
be taken as rule, however, that the
fakir's pawn tickets are regulated &C
cording to his apparent station.
A young fellow, tall, white-faced
and looking miserably attsnuated. his
clothes quite shabby and buttoned up
close about the neck, has been work
ing Fulton street late o. nights for
some weeks. presumably changing his
Office location quite frequently. At
almost midnight he accosted . gentle
man near Pierrepont street. with the
conventional whine:
Excuse me, sir. Just . minute,
please. Could you oblige me with a
few pennies to help me get mealr"
whats the matter, out Of workr'
queried the pedestrian, who was Just
returning from lodge and was little
mellow. As he holds . public position
he feels very solicitous that his name
should be suppressed.
Finding his victim in talkative
mood, the fakir drops the whine and
adopts confidential tone.
well, it's partly that; but the truth
Is I've been ON the lose for week OF
two and I've had to pawn my clothes
and watch and borrow these rags I've
goton. live at Newark. and l haven't
got the face to 60 back looking like
this. I've written to friend for some
money, and guess I'll get 1t in day
or two. But must 60 hungry and
walk the streets in the meantime"
But the victim had frozen up, and
growing suspicious. was pushing BY
with curt: Il haven't got anything. .
when the fakir planked down his little
joker and took the trick.
look here. boss, I'm no begRar.
only want enough to get a bed and
meals till my money arrives. A couple
Of dollars II do. Here's the pawn ticket
Of my watch. only borrowed twent,
dollars on it, because / didn't expect e
60 broke. The watch cost my father
one hundred and fifty dollars whom he
bought it for me. Iwouldn't part viii
it for five hundred dollars. II you'll
lend me two or three dollars till re,
my money I'll leave my ticket with YOU
as security. I don't like to insult yor
by offering to pay for . kindness, but il
adollar or two's an object I'll pay 4
with pleasure for the accommodation.
The gentleman took the ticket, looket
At itcasually and then drcw out small
bundle of greenbacks. The falkir saw
that he had succeeded. and added, will
. tinge Of simulated anxiety in hi
voice:
Il suppose You won't object to tellin,
me where ! can find you. STRIP
He didn't object and be handed th,
fellow three dollars. cutting short hi
profuse thanks by jumping on car
A week elapsed and the unfortunate
young man did not seem to have re
ceived his money from Newark. for b,
failed to redeem that ticket which rep
resented watch he would not sell fo
I'VE hundred dollars. Tho victim ther
started to New York and called u u